When the past meets the present
by LillylovesCaskett
Summary: What happened to a eighteen year old Rick,that would make him keep a secret from everyone he cares about ,reviews please.
1. Chapter 1

**au- Since this story is Au,there is no Meredith and Gina,which means no Alexis,Beckett and Castle are partners like in the show but they meet differently ,blue bell is not a real place it's off a tv show "Hart of Dixe" and thank you to my beta also.**

"Richard?" His mother asked puzzled as he paced his room, packing a bag.

"I'm packing." He threw a stack of shirts in the bag and continued on his path.

"What for, darling?"

"I can't stand him."

"It will take a little bit of time to get used to." She walked up behind him and stood."

He stopped and faced her. "Mother, I love you, but this is the fourth time you have been married."

"Is there anything I can say that will make you stay?"

He shook his head no.

"Please promise me you'll stay in touch." She sniffed, a tear running down her cheek.

"I will." He nodded and hugged his mother goodbye.

Bluebell, Alabama is where he found himself. He approached a small diner, hungry from traveling. When he walked in, everyone turned to look. In a town where everyone knew your name, an outsider was a rare occasion.

There were three kids that looked his age, the girl that caught his eye being the one that was staring right back at him. She had dark black hair, tanned skin, and green eyes. She wasn't just staring, though, she was up on the tiny stage in the corner warming up her voice. There was also a boy with shaggy brown hair playing the guitar, singing backup for the black-haired girl. The third, a blonde, shaggy boy was in the back playing the drums.

The girl stopped. "Hey, Milo" Mel said, tapping his shoulder.

"Yes, Mel?"

"You know how we were looking for a third guy?"

"Mel can you hurry this up, we need to play soon."

"What about that guy?" Mel said, pointing at Rick.

"Never seen him before. Who is he?"

Mel smirked, "I'll go find out"

"But Mel." Milo protested.

"We can take a quick break." She glanced over her shoulder and continued on.

"Hey there." Mel said, sitting across from Rick in the booth he had chosen.

He looked up from his burger, shocked. "Uh, hi."

"Do you want to be in our band?" She said point blank.

His jaw hung open. "I don't even know you"

"My name is Mel. I'm eighteen and I'm a foster child. Enough info for you."

Rick took this as a sign that he was where he was supposed to be. "I guess I can sing and write songs for you."

"Great" Mel smirked at him again. She pulled him up and dragged him over to the stage. "Milo and Joey, this is." She paused and looked at Rick. "What's your name?"

"Rick."

"This is Rick. He's going to sing and write our songs."

The guys just nodded, knowing Mel was in charge and would do what she wanted anyway. Rick stood silently. It wasn't every day that you left your whole life behind you and were given the chance at a new one.

Eventually, they all became tight, Rick and Mel especially, their awkward meeting turning into years of friendship. Eventually, after being spotted by a talent scout, Rick asked Mel to marry him. But, after an eye opening phone call from Martha, Rick left his friends and returned to New York to write. He didn't actually want to be a singer. He wanted to write.

In 2012, he was still single and had never been married. But, he was a successful author, having made it. He met Detective Kate Beckett at a book signing and he fell madly in love with her. Eventually, he based a series off of her; Nikki Heat. And in the year following that, he asked Kate to marry him. She, of course, said yes, and they were married on a beautiful summer evening at their Hamptons house.


	2. Chapter 2

**Any ideas for "The Spirit god",please inbox me,I have a massive writers block.**

Beckett was laying on Castle's chest, snuggled into his side. Her phone went off beside her and they both groaned.

Beckett sat up to answer and Castle rolled over onto his side, covering his head with a pillow. "Beckett." She listened. "Yeah, Espo, I'll be right there, Castle too."

Castle groaned in response, mumbling something from under the pillow.

Beckett hung up the phone and wrapped her arms around him and kissed his shoulder. "Come on, babe."

"Don't wanna."

"Up." She poked his side and then kissed his temple.

"Kate." He groaned.

"Come on." Kate called from the closet where she was already getting dressed.

"Hey, come back here." Castle sat up.

"Castle. Crime scene. Come on." She clapped between each sentence.

He breathed out and rolled his eyes. "Fine." He pushed himself out of bed and got ready as well.

"What have we got?" Kate asked, lifting the tape over her head.

"Male. In his forties. Guns hot wound to the head and chest." Lanie said.

"He's not a New Yorker." Espo added.

"How do you know?" Beckett asked.

"His license says he's from Bluebell."

"In Alabama?" Beckett asked confused.

"He's far from home." Castle said.

"Gates wants us to go to Bluebell as soon as possible.

"To Bluebell?" Castle questioned nervously. He really didn't want his wife to find out about his past.

'What's the matter, Castle? It's a road trip. You love road trips."

"I just don't know if can make it." He scratched the back of his head. "I'm busy."

"With what?" She put her hand on her hip.

"I have a chapter due." He spit out quickly.

She caught on too quick. "Yo told me you had a couple of weeks off.

He huffed out, out of excuses. "Fine, I'll go." This wasn't going to end well.


	3. Chapter 3

They arrived in Bluebell, and the team checked into the only hotel in town. The man behind the counter immediately gave Castle a second glance, some kind of recognition registering. Rick was really hoping nobody remembered who he was.

He lied awake that night, a million thoughts running through his head. Tomorrow they would be going to the "Country Pub". Also known as the pub that he and Mel once owned in another life. It was where the band used to play. It was where he left her.

Flashbacks and nerves hit him all at once as they approach the front doors. His stomach turns to knots and he can feel the tips of his fingers shaking. "Kate!" He calls out.

"What's wrong, Castle?" She gives him a concerned look.

He doesn't really know what to say, can't find the right words even to save his life. "I'll get the door for you." He duck his head and opens the door, letting Beckett walk in in front of him.

"Thanks, Castle." She gives him one more concerned look, but then makes her way into the restaurant to start her job.

Not sixty seconds from him entering, a woman's voice is heard above the rest. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Both Beckett and Castle turn to see who it was. This was exactly what Rick was afraid of.

"You've got a lot of nerve, Rick."

"Castle, you and Mel know each other?" Kate crosses her arms, waiting for the situation to make sense.

He took a deep breath and decided the shorter the explanation the better. "When I was eighteen, I ran away from home and ended up here. I met Mel and we were going to get married."

"Yeah, but the coward ran away. Seems like a reoccurring thing with him." Mel rolled her eyes. "Now get out."

Kate stepped in, flashing her tin. "Detective Kate Beckett, we have some questions about a man who was murdered in New York. He was from here."

"And who would that be, detective?"

"Max Ian."

"He used to come in a lot and we used to know each other as kids. He was in a foster home like me. Anything else?"

Kate shook her head. "No, my team will be back if we have any other questions." After that, her professional demeanor vanished. She stormed out, Castle in tow. "So that's why you didn't want to come to Bluebell. Because of your ex fiance and a secret life I never knew about." The hurt and anger radiate off of her.

"I'm sorry, Kate, that I didn't say anything." He tries to touch her arm but she pulls away.

"Forget it, Rick. Just forget it." She slides into the car, turning the ignition.

Rick laces his fingers with hers, holding onto her. "I chose you, Kate. It's in the past. I'm with you and I love you. I'm sorry for lying." He leans in and kisses her temple gently.

She looks at him with a goofy grin spread across her face. "How can I stay mad at that?" 


	4. Chapter 4

Mel was cleaning down the benches when Castle walked in. "Come back later. I'm cleaning."

"Good, the bar is empty. We can talk." He approached and sat at a bar stool.

"Your team have more questions, Rick?" She didn't turn to look at him.

"No, but I need answers."

"Past or present?" She finally stopped and stared at him, crossing her arms.

"Past."

"Me too, Rick."

"On what, Mel?"

'How could you leave your own baby?"

"Don't you even give me that." Castle raised his voice, his brow scrunching up. "You and I both knew that that wasn't my baby. It didn't add up."

"The man that was murdered was the baby's father."

"How long did you cheat? How long did you plan on cheating?" He was furious now, unable to hold it back.

She shook her head and turned back to the bar. "I'm sorry, Rick, I felt something with him that I didn't with you."

"So why didn't you break up with me for him?"

"Because he had no way of supporting me and the baby like you did. You had a plan."

"You used me?" He felt his pulse quickening. This was not okay even after all these years.

She turned back to him, trying to explain himself. "I had no idea what to do Rick!" She threw her hands up. "I was nineteen and having a baby. I needed the money."

"Have you told them yet? That their father was murdered?"

"I can't." She lowered her gaze.

"Why not?" He asked confused.

"Because I had a stillborn. It was a girl." The air between them fell silent.

"I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thank you, Rick." She tried to offer him a smile but it failed. "So that Detective Beckett is beautiful." She tried changing the subject.

Castle ran a hand through his hair. "Don't change the subject, Mel."

"I think we've heard enough about that for now." Mel nodded. "Now, about the detective."

"Well she's married." Castle kept a straight face.

"Bummer, must be a lucky guy."

"I've heard he's quite handsome." Castle leaned against the bar, smirking.

Mel looked at him then. "Alright, very funny, you got me. Now, how did you two meet?"

"I was setting up things for my first book signing when I saw her walk in. I couldn't help but notice how beautiful she was. I saw her go over to the mystery section, so I picked up one of my books, signed it, and tapped her on the shoulder. I gave it to her and she smiled and told me her name. I introduced myself and asked if she wanted to meet for coffee after my signing. I didn't think she would show up, but she did. I married her a year later at our Hamptons house." Castle couldn't help but to smile every time he told that story. It was usually much more detailed, but he saved that since it was Mel.

"That's cute." She admitted.

"Yeah, I guess it is cute." He tried to play it cool, but his smile told a different story.

"Any kids?" Mel was curious as to what all she missed.

"No, not yet. Kate and I haven't really talked about it yet. We haven't been married too long yet, and we both want to settle into that before kids." He changed the subject and focus back to Mel. "What about you and Max?"

"No, nothing happened."

"Well anyone besides Max?" Now he was the one digging."

"A couple of men, but no one worthy yet." She thought about everyone she had been with, to no avail.

Rick looked at the clock, beginning to feel awkward. "I better go, I told Kate I was going to pick something from the shops."

"Bye, Rick." She mustered another smile as he left.

"Bye, Mel." He returned it then walked out of the diner.

Mel stood behind the bar watching him leave. She never thought she'd see him again, and had held on just a little bit. But it was time. His heart belonged to the detective, so she let go.

She hated Detective Beckett for taking him away,all these years she waited for him and she stole him for him.

Mel had one plan and one only,destory the Detective.


	5. Chapter 5

"A birth certificate?" Beckett asked Ryan.

"It turns out your husband has a love child."

"Do you think Castle knows he has a child?"

"You'll have to ask him that yourself." Ryan ducked his head.

"Alright, I'll talk to him later.

Beckett knocked on Mel's door, the piece of paper clenched in her fist.

"Detective Beckett?" Mel said, her tone unwelcome.

"Can I come in?"

Mel shrugged. "I guess."

Beckett slammed the birth certificate on the table, waiting for any type of clue from Mel.

"Where did you get that?"

"Did you and Rick have a baby together?"

Mel smirked. "Well Detective, are you jealous that I beat you to it?"

"Just answer the question." Beckett slammed her fist on the table.

"I did have a baby. And it was your husbands." Mel lied to try and get a rise out of the detective.

"Does he know this?" She said through gritted teeth.

"Yeah, any more questions?"

"No." Beckett picked up the paper and stormed out, more confused and hurt than ever.

Beckett lied awake, her thoughts keeping her up. Castle had his arms wrapped around her, sensing her tension. "You okay, honey?"

"Fine, babe."

"You sure?"He knew she was lying.

She couldn't keep it in any longer. "Did you or did you not know you have a baby with Mel?"

He took a deep breath, sitting up and facing her. "When Mel told me that she was pregnant, she told me it was mine but something didn't add up. It's not mine, Kate, I promise you."

"Whose baby is it?"

"Max's."

Beckett shot up in the bed. "You knew something about the victim and you didn't think to tell me?"

"I knew you would be mad at me for hanging out with Mel, but I needed some answers about my past." He tried to explain himself.

"I wasn't going to get mad at you" She spit out.

"You sound mad now." Castle whispered.

"Cause you didn't tell me that Max had a child with Mel. Where is the child now?"

"Mel had a stillborn."

The room went silent for a moment before Kate spoke again. "Is there anything else from your past I need to know?"

"See you are mad."

"Yes, I'm a little mad. You wanted a marriage with no secrets or lies and yet here you are keeping secrets and telling lies."

"And what you don't have any secrets?" Castle raised his voice, gesturing towards Kate.

"I have small secrets, yes, but what you have is more than a secret, it's a past life!"

"This was all before I met you." He bowed his head, breathing out slowly. He didn't want to fight.

"I didn't need the full story, I just needed you to tell me you had a ex fiancé. That's all you had to do." Kate settled some, pushing the hair out of her face.

"I thought women didn't like when men brought up their exes?"

"Usually, but remember that night were we spent all night talking and telling each other our secrets? Then would have been a good time." Kate nodded.

"And I don't know why I didn't tell you that night, Kate. I should have."

"I don't know either." She shook her head. "Right now, I don't know who you are at all." She laid back down, facing the wall. She listened as he settled in beside her, and then she fell asleep.


	6. Chapter 6

_**this is a flashback chapter.**_

_"Rick, wait." Mel said, rushing down the stairs after him._

_"For what, Mel, so you can tell me another lie?" He turned on his heels, a sour look on his face._

_"I never meant to hurt you." She looked down at her shoes, suddenly interested on the floor._

_"If you never meant to hurt me, then why did you cheat and why did you lie about the baby being mine?"_

_"I just wanted to feel the love I experience when I'm with him." Mel bit her lip, wrapping herself in her own arms._

_Rick's face went to stone. "So you don't love me?"_

_"I'm sorry." Tears dripped down Mel's cheeks._

_Rick ran an angry hand through his hair. "I'm such an idiot." He turned and faced the wall. "I was about to marry someone who didn't love me and who was having another man's baby." He faced her one last time. "I could have given you that, Mel. I loved you. We're done." When he slammed the door, the entire house shook._

When Mel woke up in her hospital bed she felt dizzy, the drugs weakening her senses. The last thing she remembered was going into labor.

_She shot up and winced in pain, but soon met Max's eyes. "What happened?"_

_Max sat next to her, his hands finding hers. "I'm so sorry, Mel, we lost the baby."_

_She felt her entire world come crashing down. Her precious baby, gone in the blink of an eye. "Let me see her."_

_"Mel, you've been out for a day. I had to make a decision."_

_"What did you do?" Her eyes filled with tears._

_"I had her cremated. I'm so sorry, I didn't know what to do, but I had to decide." His own tears ran down his face as he choked out his apology._

_Mel sat, heartbroken. She had officially lost everything._

_The next day, before being discharged, Max told her he was going to get coffee. It was the last time she saw him._

Years later, Mel visited New York. She had heard that Rick, now Castle, had written a book, and that he was having a signing. She was hoping she could stop by and they could talk.

_As she walked down the noisy streets of New York, she saw a girl, maybe fourteen, awing over the skyscrapers and attractions. Mel smiled. Her daughter would have been in her teens._

_Eventually she made her way to the bookstore Rick was supposed to be. That's when she saw him standing in a small group of people, outside the bookstore. She was about to approach him when she saw her._

_She was a tall woman, long, curly, brunette hair. Gorgeous features and a smile that lit up the entire town. She was absolutely beautiful._

_Mel felt like she had been punched in the gut as she watched the woman walk right up to Rick and kiss him. They both smiled and took the other's hand as they started down the street. Mel couldn't help but notice the woman's engagement ring flash in the sun._


	7. Chapter 7

**flashback part 2**

_She's not following them. She's curious._

_Mel walks a fair distance behind them and slowly so they don't see her. They're walking through Central Park, hand in hand; they look so happy. Then, they enter a diner, "Remy's", she enters as well, and takes a seat in the corner booth._

_She watches them. How much he loves this woman makes Mel feel sick to her stomach, heartbroken even. She doesn't know why she came here. Of course he moved on. Why on earth would he wait?_

_She lets out a long slow breath and wonders what she was thinking. Rick would have never hung on to the past this long._

Somehow, her brother's girlfriend's cousin has an invitation to the wedding. She memorizes the address and goes. That's when she found out her name was Kate. The bride's name is Kate.

_She sees the smile on his face and how happy he is. She already destroyed his happiness once; she couldn't bear to do it again. Her plan was to object. Instead, she leaves before she's spotted, gets in her car, and drives home._

"Mel!" Joey shouts, running down the stairs, nearly knocking Mel over with his embrace. "Where's Rick?" He looks over her shoulder like a dog looking for a treat. "Ricky boy?"

_He turns to look at Mel. She looks upset. "What happened?"_

_"He's getting married."_

_Joey's shoulders slump. "Did you ask him?"_

_She shakes her head. "No, I didn't talk to him. I only saw her."_

_"What's she like? What's her name?"_

_"She's absolutely beautiful. I can tell she makes him really happy. Her name is Kate." Mel sits on the couch defeated._

_Joey sits as well._

_There's a long pause before she speaks again. "I went to the wedding."_

_"Why didn't you stop it?"_

_She shakes her head, thinking about it again. "I couldn't do it, Joey. He's so happy with her."_

_The room is quiet again._

_Joey looks up. "Are you sure he's happy with her?"_

_"It breaks my heart to say this, but he's happier with her than he ever was with me." She lets out a shaky breath and cards a hand through her hair._

_Joey let's it sink in and then addresses Mel again. "Well I guess we let him go."_


End file.
